'Big step' forward for Mayo town as Uisce Éireann grants sea-survey licence
The MUL application was originally submitted by Uisce Éireann in December 2024 to permit marine surveys in Newport Bay and Clew Bay
The long-delayed Newport Wastewater Treatment Plant has taken a significant step forward after the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA) granted Uisce Éireann a licence to conduct environmental surveys in Clew Bay.
The Maritime Usage Licence (MUL) will allow Uisce Éireann to study ocean currents in Clew Bay and build a hydrological model to underpin the design of the proposed treatment plant — a critical piece of work that had been blocked pending the licence's approval. The licence was applied for in December 2024.
The news has also been welcomed by the local business community. Cormac Kelly of the Newport Business Association described it as a major step forward. "It's very significant — it's another big step in getting a wastewater treatment plant in the town," Kelly said. "Hopefully Uisce Éireann are ready to get to work, and there are no more hold-ups. They can get a treatment plant in Newport for 2030 as promised."
Minister of State Alan Dillon TD described the development as a watershed moment for a project that has stalled for years. "This is a major milestone," he said. "Without this licence, the project was essentially at a standstill. Its approval now ensures that plans for the Newport Waste Water Treatment Plant can finally progress."
Aontú TD for Mayo, Paul Lawless, who has been actively pushing for progress on the project, also welcomed the development. "This is very welcome news for the people of Newport," he said. "I have had multiple meetings with MARA and Uisce Éireann to drive this project forward. The MUL will allow Uisce Éireann to conduct studies on Clew Bay to determine ocean currents and build a model for the treatment plant based on the data obtained."
Deputy Lawless stressed the knock-on effect the licensing delay had caused: "The delay in issuing the MUL licence brought the entire project to a standstill. Uisce Éireann could not adequately survey Clew Bay. No survey, no design. No design, no planning application."
He described the breakthrough as bringing a decades-old issue back from the shelf: "This project has been kicked from Billy to Jack and has been sitting on the shelf for decades. This week's news means it is firmly back on the agenda."
The discharge of raw sewage from the Newport plant into Clew Bay was first highlighted in The Mayo News by the late Neill O'Neill in 2016. The project has faced repeated delays, with the inability to survey Clew Bay identified as a key bottleneck in progressing to a design phase and, ultimately, a planning application.
With the MUL now in place, Minister Dillon said the ball is firmly in Uisce Éireann's court. "This licence unlocks the next stage of work. It is now a matter for Uisce Éireann to progress, and I will be fighting tooth and nail to ensure that surveying and investigations in Clew Bay commence as soon as possible."
Both Deputy Lawless and Minister Dillon said they intend to maintain pressure on the relevant agencies.